Cash was brought to the District Court from the prison where he was already serving two months for a previous offence. Proceedings arose from an incident on the night September 6 when Gardaí were called to the home of the defendant's parents at Raithlin Cuilin.

It appeared that Martin Cash's sister sustained cut hand when she attempted to push her brother out of the house. Challenged by the Gardaí, he refused to put the blade down. He was eventually arrested and handcuffed after the use of pepper spray.

Defending solicitor David Tarrant assured Judge Gerard Haughton that the family were now back talking to each other. Mr Tarrant suggested that the knife had been in use on the occasion for cutting bread and that the cut on the sister's hand was an accident. He also stressed that she was not now pressing her complaint.

The court learned that Cash was father of five children. Though separated from his partner, the couple were due to get back together. The defendant, who had a number of drink or drug related previous convictions, intended to take rehab once out of prison.

The judge said that the issue of the knife did not just relate to the sister. Cash had also failed to put it down for Garda Michael Dee and he imposed the sentence.

Taken into account by the court was a threatening/abusive behaviour offence on St. Patrick's Day last year and an incident on September 16 when Garda Noel O'Gorman observed the same man drunk and violent.